


The Nexus

by OpalliteGlass



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Worlds, Body Horror, Long, M/M, Sci-Fi, Slow Boil, mature - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 10:10:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9603368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpalliteGlass/pseuds/OpalliteGlass
Summary: Lance is sent by the Galactic Protection Council to destroy the last of a toxic substance called Miasma on a planet called Ren. Keith is not happy to have an offworlder messing with his planet.Body horror! Sci-fi peril! Gay romance! Longggg!





	1. Dormant

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if it seems a bit rag-tag, I had been working on this for months and I just wanted it out

This world holds a powerful poison within it. If allowed to fester, it will evolve into unimaginable pain and suffering. Yet, even with this toxin, this planet has an equal beauty. Life, no matter how strange or alien, has found a way to thrive, regardless of the Miasma threatening the planet's very existence.  
Ignorance is bliss, but with bliss comes complacency. And with complacency, peace. The natives of this world have found harmony both within themselves and with each other. Though not primitive, they have adopted a humble, nature-oriented style of living. Yet they cannot halt the encroaching Miasma, even if they knew of it's existence. Stories, tales from their ancestors long gone, spoke of a powerful substance, reviled for it's horrific properties. But in time, these legends were forgotten and in it's place fables of giant bogworms and multi-armed kyanosaurs emerged, no doubt remnants of the Miasma's long-lasting effects on the wildlife.

"The Miasma has receded in recent years."

A voice startled Lance out of his textbook. His pre-mission instructor was lecturing them on the current state of the planet yet again.

"This planet has suffered from it for so long that the ecosystem has built a slight tolerance to it. But, we all know how that goes. Eventually, it will return even stronger than before and decrepify the entire biosphere."

The instructor, a white-haired older man, slapped his pointer on a digital blackboard.

"This is the last source of Miasma in our system. This place is the nexus of the stuff, so to speak. McClain!"

Lance jolted, shocked at the sudden change in volume.

"Please restate your mission to me!"

Lance stood up, saluting proudly. 

"Find the nodes on Ren, destroy them, then destroy the core!"

The instructor smiled and nodded as Lance sat back down.

"Excellent! All of you, Lance will be the first on-planet. You will follow him when he gives the word. Briefing over!"

Lance smirked. He'd destroyed Miasma before. This would be easy.  
\-----------------  
"Get up."

Lance's eyes opened very slowly. He saw smoke rising into the distance, obscured by tall trees. He looked around him. The pod he had been launched with had gone off course and crashed violently in one of the planet's many forests. Then he saw the source of the voice. A boy, his age, with ruby red eyes and a very angry scowl.

"I said get up. It's getting dark. You will die."

Then he was gone, disappearing past the rim of the pod. Lance scrambled, trying to haul himself out of the pod to follow the boy.

"Wait!" He yelled, falling clumsily out of the pod, "Wait a sec!"

The boy turned, his expression unchanged. Lance noticed he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, but was carrying a spear. The mis-matched nature of the two confused him.

"What is it?" The boy asked, scowl deepening.

"Where am I?" Lance said, extricating himself from the pod and standing up. "My coordinates were 60.50.32-"

The boy waved a hand, silencing him.

"You're from offworld, I can see that. We use very little technology here. So, short answer, I don't know. Long answer, I don't know and I don't care. But I do know you should find shelter."

He pointed his spear at the sky, impaling the sun.

"It's getting dark very quickly. I wouldn't be here when it is. Nasty things come out at night."

There was a pause, then the boy turned and began walking again.

"Good luck."

"Wait!" Lance said again. But this time the boy continued walking, forcing Lance to keep pace with him.

"I crashed, can't you see that? I'm from the Galactic Protection Council. I'm here to help you!"

The boy rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Yep, that's it. 'Helping'. Each time you come here you leave more of your techno-trash behind."

The boy swatted a branch with his spear, clearing a path through the brush effortlessly.

"You don't understand!" Lance said, dodging as the branch swung back towards him.

"I'm here to kill the Miasma."

The boy stopped. Then, he slowly turned around.

"We have heard of it. This poison. You off-worlders told us about it. We have seen it, but very little. We had stories, but..."

The boy waved his hand again.

"They're just stories. The poison is not a threat. It's part of this planet just like us."

Lance shook his head and kept pace as the boy strode forward again.

"No, it's not. It's some sort of bio-weapon, some kind of mutagen. Well, to be honest we don't really know what it is, but-"

Lance stopped speaking as a spear tip touched his throat.

"If you approach a scorpion, does it not sting?"

The boy asked, more a statement than a question. He lowered the spear, his point made.

"We do not approach the poison, it does not sting us. It's just a part of life here, like the rain and sun."

Lance's expression flattened. He really didn't want to pull a gun on this guy. The boy continued talking.

"Besides, all we have to go on is your people's records and data, which are useless to us."

"Look, I have a mission to complete." Lance said, exasperated. "You have a comhub here, right?"

The boy nodded.

"Then take me to it. We can talk about scorpions and such until it gets dark, but that doesnt change that I have a mission to do."

"Ugh. Stupid offworlders."

The red-eyed boy continued walking, not slowing his pace.

"But I'll take you to the town center. I'd rather not have to blood of an idiot on my hands."

Lance's eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

\----------------  
"Damn..." Lance swore as he pounded the smooth metal panel of the comhub.

"Seriously? Version 1.2? We're on version 12.5!"

His guide, the boy, just rolled his eyes, a motion he had done a lot since their meeting.

"You wanted the comhub, I took you to the comhub. It's not my fault we don't keep up with your technology."

Lance groaned in frustration. "This thing is useless! I can't contact anyone on such outdated tech!" He pressed his head against the metal. He slowly slid down the side until the boy spoke up.

"Please don't cause a scene here, we're in the middle of the square."

Lance opened his eyes slightly, looking around to see the simple homes and gardens of the natives. People were starting to stare at him through their windows.

"We don't even touch the thing, let alone update it. You're making everyone upset."

"But..." Lance turned around, visibly upset. "I have a job to do! I can't just sit here and wait for the Miasma to eat this planet alive!"

The boy stiffened and quickly looked at the people peering from the window.

"Do not say those things! You're going to make people think there's a problem!" He said in a hushed voice.

"There is a problem!" Lance retorted in an equally hushed voice, respecting the town's quiet.

"You don't even want to know what that stuff does to humans, man!"

The boy stepped up to Lance, appearing to get bigger. He thumbed his spear audibly.

"Do not. Say. Another. Word." He ground his words out through clenched teeth. 

"If you will not stop your stupid babbling, follow me."

Then he turned and walked briskly down the courtyard. Lance stood still for a moment, shocked by the sudden hostility and movement, then followed the boy.

\-----------------  
"This is the off-worlder we saw crash in the Fasa Jungles, oracle." 

The interior of the room was decorated with strange symbols and ornate carvings, with a wizened old man sitting in the middle of a risen platform, attended by two handmaids. It smelled of burning herbs and medicine. Lance's nose twitched at the strong odor.

"Yes, indeed." The old man croaked. His long white hair fell over his face as he groped blindly for something through the red cloak that covered his body.

"Oh, of course my elder."

The boy reached to the wall and handed a large knotted staff to the man.

"Thank you, Keith."

Lance's eyes narrowed. Keith. His name was Keith.

The elder heaved himself up with help from his attendants, and walked to a sunken pit in front of him.

"What do you seek, outsider?"

Lance sighed. This was ridiculous.

"I'm from the Galactic Protection Council. We've gotten high recordings of Miasma on this planet and I've been sent to eradicate it."

The man nodded.

"Yes, the poison. It has not harmed us. Why do your people fear it so?"

"Look, this substance is incredibly-"

"Please, sit." The man pointed a gnarled finger at the ground. Keith immediately sat as if a magnet pulled him to the earth. Lance sat far more cautiously.

"Now, go on."

Lance sighed and continued. "This substance is baryogenetic, highly toxic, and able to create complex structures with little provocation. We don't know where it comes from and it's already destroyed countless inhabitated planets." He gasped, out of breath.

"My mission is to destroy the Miasma Nexus on this planet and return to my people."

The old man said nothing for a moment. Keith began to speak.

"I've been telling him there is no problem, and that the poison is a natural-"

"Keith, please."

The elder held up a hand, silencing Keith immediately. Lance smirked, a small victory.

"This poison has existed within this planet for as long as we've been alive. We are not to trifle with it, it is part of the cycle."

Lance flushed bright red. His small victory was gone.

"But haven't you seen the creatures affected by it? Haven't you lost people to it?"

"We have lost many good people to the poison, but we commit their body to the ground. They give back to Ren what they take."

"I highly doubt you buried anyone who was infected with Miasma." Lance said sardonically. "You couldn't even tell they were human."

Keith turned to look at Lance.

"Do not speak to him like that." His voice was very cold, as usual.

"Those who have given themselves to the poison were not pure. They were thieves, murderers. The poison is a purifying aspect."

"I bet Keith doesn't even know what you're talking about!" Lance retorted, yelling now.

"I bet if you told him what the Miasma did to people, you'd have a lot harder time keeping him under your thumb!"

The handmaidens rose, reaching for their weapons. The old man's expression gave nothing away.

"You will watch yourself, offworlder. This is not your place."

Lance stood defensively, reaching for his own weapon.

"Keith, did they ever tell you what the 'poison' does to people?"

Keith's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"It takes control of them. They mutate and become monsters that rely on the Miasma to survive. It makes them into more of itself."

"Guards, escort our guest to his room. Schedule a transport ship to take him back to his people in the morning. I will not have the Council disrupting life here any longer."

\---------------------

Lance stared at the ceiling. The room he had been sent to was luxurious, with plush cushions and a very soft bed. But the comfort couldn't make Lance feel any better. 

"My officer is gonna kill me..." He said to himself quietly. Some sort of bug, similar to Earth's crickets, was chirping loudly outside. Night had fallen on Ren.

"Ugh..." He rolled over, frustrated.

"Hey." A voice startled him into facing the door. Keith was standing in the doorway. He placed his spear against the wall and invited himself in.

"What do you want, Keith? To gloat?"

"No. To talk."

He sat on the edge of the bed, pushing Lance to stand.

"I don't want to talk with you. I've already failed my mission."

"Please, humor me."

Lance said nothing, but the silence goaded Keith on.

"In school, we were taught about the poison being important and natural. But..."

He trailed off. Lance rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to explain it again. I've said enough. This planet will die and there's nothing I can do-"

"Wait. I have something to show you."

\--------------  
"No, I don't know what it is."

Keith said, holding branches open for Lance to pass.

"But it's been here for a while."

They had been traveling for an hours through thick jungle brush to the side of a large cliff. Lance huffed, exhausted. Bits of leaves and twigs stuck out of his hair, and various scratches covered his arms.

"Are we almost there?" He gasped. Keith was showing no signs of fatigue or abuse. He nodded.

"It's in here." He pointed his spear at an opening in the cliffside. Warm, moist air was exhaled from the entrance of the cave.

"Follow me." Keith leapt down and rolled into the cave effortlessly. Lance stared in disbelief.

"We're almost there." Keith said as he heard a crash behind him. Lance stood up, composing himself from his less than stylish fall.

They walked past various rock formations, but the path leading to wherever Keith was taking him was obviously not natural. Spiral indentations ran down the weathered path, until Keith stopped.

"There."

Lance gasped, instantly grabbing and aiming his sonic rifle.  A large purple crystal floated above a cracked stone pillar, dull and lifeless. It pulsed slightly as it rotated lazily in the air. The rock walls nearest to it had grown strange purple vein-like markings that spread out from the crystal. It was a Miasma Node.

"Keith... back up. Right now." Lance said, voice shaking.

"That is a Miasma Node. It's very dangerous, we need- DON'T TOUCH IT!" Lance screamed as Keith reached up and tapped the crystal. It wobbled slightly before snapping back into place.

"See? I come here all the time. It doesn't do anything."

Lance was shaking. They were extremely close to a source of Miasma. This didn't feel right. Then Lance noticed that Keith seemed unharmed.

"Wait, what? You're... not infected?"

"Nope." To emphasize his point, he tapped it again.

"Please stop touching it! It's obviously dormant, but too much activity will make it wake up!"

"So this is where the poison comes from." 

Keith said, returning to his place next to Lance. The other boy backed up slightly, as if afraid to get near Keith.

"Kind of. It's just a node. The Nexus is the true source. But that will be much harder to find."

The crystal continued spinning. Lance eyed it warily.

"We still don't understand much about these things, but it's best to cryo-freeze it and send it to the GPF."

"Cryo-freeze? With what equipment?"

Then Lance remembered he had crashed his pod.

"Goddamnit." He muttered, slapping his forehead.

"Why can't we just leave it? It's not hurting anybody."

"Yes, but it will. Given the slightest chance it will very much hurt everybody."

Keith took his spear out, twirling it effortlessly.

"Then let's break it, right here."

"No no no!" Lance grabbed Keith as he stepped forward to impale the crystal.

"Are you fucking stupid!?" Lance said, his first use of profanity to Keith. "You will wake it up! Then we'll both be corrupted!"

Keith turned, angry and flustered. "Then what to you suppose we do!?"

"I don't know-"

Then a horn sounded in the distance, low and slow. Lance turned his ear, waiting for it to finish.

"What was that?"

Keith was staring at the exit of the cave.

"We need to go back, right now."

\--------

The lights of the town had gone out. There was no activity when Lance and Keith arrived back at the square. A cold wind blew through the empty streets.

"...where is everyone?" Lance asked quietly, reaching for his rifle. Keith looked around warily, as if expecting something.

"I don't know. They may have fled if something attacked."

"Is that common?"

"Sometimes a kyanosaur or bog worm gets lost and wanders in. We'll have to check the houses."

"Keith, this doesn't feel right. Wouldn't the lights still be on?"

Keith said nothing, but reached into his back pocket and pulled out a flashlight.

"Only tech thing I carry. Kind of useful."

He directed the light towards the comhub Lance had been using early, revealing it had been gouged apart. Deep tears ran down the metal surface, extending to the ground

before trailing off.

"Definitely a kyanosaur."

"Keith, what kind of kyanosaur attacks a comhub?"

"Look." The flashlight flicked to the nearest wall, where another set of rifts resided. "Obviously it wandered out of migration and started marking it's territory."

"Keith..."

Lance pointed to the door of the elder's house, next to the mangled wall. Bright red blood lead into the doorway, as if someone had been dragged inside. Keith's eyes widened.

He angled his spear forward.

"Keith, kyanosaurs are herbivores-"

"I know. Keep your voice down."

They walked slowly towards the doorway, the door itself had been ripped off and tossed nearby. 

"Have your rifle ready."

Lance trained it on the darkness.

"Ready... now!" They barged in, illuminating the room. The blood led to the pit, but stopped suddenly. Keith searched the light right and left. The signature claw marks adorned

the inner walls as well.

"I don't think there's anything here." Lance said. "If it was an animal, it must've left by now."

Keith clenched his fist. "It has the elder. I have to find it." In frustration, Keith turned and slammed the flashlight into the ground. It bounced, angling the beam upwards. Lance's

eyes widened.

"Keith!!! KEITH!" He pointed his rifle behind the boy and cocked it. "Back up! Right now!"

Keith looked behind him, and couldn't comprehend what he saw.

Purple tendrils hung from the ceiling, twitching and dripping clear mucous. Two long arms extended from a central mass, tipped with sharp white claws. A mouthless face gazed at Keith with white pupil-less eyes, cocking it's head as if curious. The large organic mass in the center moved and groaned. Keith could make out the faces of the elder and his assistants, mouths opened in agony. Purple veins had embedded themselves in the ceiling and the unfortunate victims, anchoring the legless creature to them. It groped for Keith, it's many tentacles reaching for him sympathetically.

 _"Keith...."_ The voice of the elder resonated through the room.

_"Keith..... help....... me...."_

Lance unloaded a clip into the creature before grabbing Keith by the collar and pulling him back. Keith continued staring, unable to process what he was seeing. Lance pulled a trigger on the side of his gun, changing the firing mode to pulse rockets. A well-laced shot blew off one of the creature's arms, but it began slowly crawling towards to the shell-shocked Keith.

"Keith! Don't let that thing touch you!" Lance blasted the arm back before firing more rounds at the horrifying monster in front of them.

"I..." Keith was speechless. The world was grey. He couldn't hear anything but the elder's pathetic moaning.

"Keith! Wake up!" Lance pushed Keith back even more. Keith's eyes flicked around the creature in a haze, seeing the assimilated remains of the other townspeople. A piece of

clothing from someone he knew. A small child's toy. 

_**"Keith.... come join us..."**_ Although the monster was in battle with Lance, it continued speaking to Keith.

_**"It doesn't hurt, we promise...."** _

"Stop..." Keith whispered.

_**"We're all together now... you can be with us, too...."** _

The creature locked eyes with Keith as a tentacle shielded it from Lance's bullets and rockets.

_**"Come closer, Keith... bring your friend..."** _

"No... you're not them..."

**_"Of course we are... just come closer... let us touch you...."_ **

Keith took a step forward. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, after all.

"Keith, what are you doing!?" Lance put his leg in front of Keith, blocking his walk.

"We need to run!"

_**"Don't listen to him, Keith... he hates you... wants you to die alone...."** _

Lance continued firing as Keith pushed past him.

"Wait, stop!" Lance was unable to stop firing and save Keith without them both dying.

"Keith!"

_**"That's right... closer..."** _

Keith gazed at the creature, getting lost in it's white expansive eyes. He'd be together with them, again. It would be like nothing changed. Then Keith heard the elder's voice again, this time clearer, not in his head.

 _"Keith........"_ He moaned, struggling to speak with his mangled and dissolved body.

_"....run....."_

Keith stiffened. He turned on the spot, the creature's spell broken, and bolted into the square. Lance fired a few more rounds, then backed up and followed Keith, who had not stopped running well into the jungle, leaving a path of broken branches behind him.

"Keith, wait!" Lance yelled following the path of destruction the other boy left behind as he heard the creature's wordless wail echo in the distance. It had lost it's prey. But it would be back.

 

 

 

 


	2. Team?

The crackling of the fire was calming to Lance. He poked it gingerly, keeping the flames alive. He glanced at Keith, who stared into the fire, numb. They had run for hours through the jungle before Keith had finally collapsed. Lance had created a clearing and the fire, and was attempting to activate a holo-screen on his wrist.

"Damn thing's busted..."

Small beeps and blips signaled another failed boot. 

"Ugh..."

He leaned back, looking at the clear night sky.

"They're all gone..."

He looked at the boy whispering on the other side of the fire.

"They were just here... this morning..." He hugged his knees closer. "Now they're... part of that... thing..."

His eyes were wide, as if replaying the scene he had witnessed earlier.

"It talked to me... I almost..." He trailed off, unsure if he was making sense.

Lance nodded.

"Yeah, that was a Venal. They're the first units the Miasma creates."

He went back to fiddling with his wristcom.

"It has... a name?" Keith muttered, trying to stay grounded.

Lance nodded again.

"Venals are pretty common when Miasma has reached an intermediate stage. It's job is to quickly and quietly absorb large amounts of biomass. It's immobile, but it can entice other creatures to it."

"But... if it's immobile, how did it get into the town?"

Lance shrugged. "It probably hitched a ride on someone's back. They start out very small, almost invisible."

Keith slowly put his head in his hands. Lance could hear a quiet sobbing.

"Are you telling me nobody ever told you? What did you guys do when a unit attacked or someone died?"

Keith did not move his hands. "We were told... Ren took them back. We never saw the bodies...." His voice was thick with tears. "We thought that the poison made them one with Ren again... not this..."

Lance twisted some knobs on his wrist, not wanting to give up on his com.

"What does it want?" Keith asked, looking up. Lance could see the wet trails of tears on his cheeks. "Why is it doing this?"

Lance's expression flattened. "You want me to start from the beginning?"

Keith nodded, not responding to Lance's sarcasm.

"Miasma is baryogenetic, so we don't know where it comes from. It is a semi-liquid, viscous substance that can convert other matter into more of itself. On top of this, it can arrange it's atoms into complex organic structures and operates using a hive-mind system. A-ha, got it!"

A green screen flickered to life above his wrist. He began swiping through screens excitedly before regaining his composure when Keith continued staring at him.

"Oh, right. Sorry. I'm part of a task force meant to eliminate it. Back in the day, Miasma was everywhere. Countless planets were slowly succumbing to it, but the GPC was able to create a huge counterstrike that managed to combat the Miasma over time."

Lance swiped one more time, bringing up a picture of a similar creature they had encountered. Keith visibly withdrew against the tree behind him.

"Put it away!" He hissed.

"Wait, it's all good. It's just a picture. My wristcom has a database of all known Miasma types. It can even track and locate Miasma over an area. No actual communication, unfortunately. But we've got a lead with this."

Keith's teeth were bared. "But what does it want?"

"Well, to consume all life until it's the only organic substance in the Universe. Hence why my job exists."

"And there's... more of them?"

"Technically an infinite amount of them. It can adjust it's mass to accommodate any ecosystem and any duress, but it does have a dozen or so favorite units that pop up more frequently."

Keith looked at Lance incredulously. "Show me more. I want to see."

"Um..." Lance cocked his head. "Are you... sure?"

"Yes. I need to know what these monsters are if we are to destroy them."

"Whooooa! Wait, 'we'? No, I don't think so. The instant I get contact with the GPC you're getting on the first shuttle to a medivac. You've been traumatized and exposed to the Miasma. There's a lot of stuff you need to go throug-"

Keith stood up suddenly, shocking Lance into silence.

"These things just killed my entire clan!!" He shouted. Birds flew away in distress and the cricket-like insects stopped chirping. "All of them! Gone!" He grabbed his spear and gouged a deep gash in the tree had been huddled against. "If you won't help me, I will do it myself."

"No please don't do that." Lance said, standing up. 

"What, are you going to stop me?" Keith said, pointing his spear at Lance. "Do it, I dare you."

"I'm not going to fight you, Keith." Lance sighed. "You're not trained for it. You'll just get in my way."

"Then I'll do it myself! I'm a fighter, a hunter! I can do anything I want!"

"You'll just die!"

"So? What do you care?"

"Because I've already lost people to the Miasma and I won't do it again!" Lance's voice had surpassed Keith's by a large margin, and the two boys were inches from each other.

Keith's expression softened, but only a bit.

"Then you understand. We're a team now."

Lance threw up his hands in frustration and sat back down in a huff.

"Fine, whatever! I don't care!"

He popped the holoscreen back up, quickly scrolling through more pictures.

"What do you want to know?" He asked venomously. "I'll be more than happy to show you everything."

Keith sat down, his temper satisfied. "Good. You were talking about Venals. What are the other types?"

"How much time you got?"

"Enough."

Lance casually swiped to a random picture then held it up to Keith. "This is a Euroclydon." The creature in the picture was vague and hard to make out. It resembled a purple gelatinous mass, two pseudopods extended menacingly.

"What does it... do?" Keith asked tentaively.

"It can spread itself over a large area to consume as much biomass as possible. It can roll over organisms to absorb them. Fairly common, as far as units go."

"How do you defeat it?"

"It's easily confused if seperated from other units. In fact, it forgets how to eat unless it's near a Venal or Inkhorn."

"Inkhorn?"

"It's like a living bubble of Miasma that can blast it over long distances."

"That's horrible."

\--------------

"So... this is the survivor?"

"Yes, Zarkon. Like you asked."

Zarkon laid back in his throne, observing the beaten man before him. Purple tendrils adorned the fleshy walls, and the man was flanked on either side by twitching rabbit-like creatures that probe the ground with a long proboscis, occasionally pausing to gaze at the ceiling with their 7 glassy black eyes. The one on the left was speaking, a guttural raspy noise.

"Our Venal was successful in converting the town in the 2nd quadrant. However, your precious one escaped."

"Did he?"

"Yes. We took this human back for questioning. He is...... _terrified_." The creature relished the last word, it's mandibles clicking.

"Thank you. You've done a good service to the hive."

"Your words are greatly appreciated, my lord. We live to serve you." The rabbit-creatures bowed, pressing their ovoid faces into the flesh-like ground. "Everything we do, we do for the survival of you and the brood."

"As usual, you flatter me and our kind." Zarkon smirked, a rare instance of happiness. Then, he directed his piercing gaze at the human on the ground. "You. Where is the precious one?"

The man was beside himself. "I-I-I don't know who you're talking about! Please, let me go! That thing already ate my w-wife! I have nothing left for you!"

Zarkon pinched the bridge of his nose. "The precious one. The one who was not there when our Venal took your pathetic village."

"T-the only one who didn't die to your monster was K-Keith!" The man said, attempting to shy away from the two creatures on his sides. Their tails whipped out and wrapped

out his waist and shoulders, slamming him brutally into the ground.

"You will know your place, human..." One of them whispered to him, the clicking of it's mandibles incredibly loud.

"Keith. So he has a name now." Zarkon gestured to his right. An orb floated lazily towards him, it's clear surface revealing a sloshing purple substance. A mouth-like opening

dangled beneath it, ringed by many sharp teeth.

"So you do not know where this 'Keith' is?"

"No! Now please, free me!"

Zarkon flashed a toothy grin. "I have a feeling you know a little more than you're letting on. So I will free you." He pointed a claw at the man, prompting the orb to float towards him. "I'll free you from mortality."

"Wait, no! Please! Stop!" He struggled against the strong tails holding him as the orb hovered menacingly over him. The mouth opened, revealing a long tract of teeth. "No! No!" The man was crying as he pulled, but the tails did not give. "NOOO-" The orb collapsed on the man, enveloping him in his entirety. A body appeared in the clear glass orb, struggling in the thick purple liquid. Hands pounded against the surface, attempting to break free in vain. After a few moments, the body went limp, then it's silhouette dissolved. The orb swelled slightly, as if happy with it's victory.

"Good pet." Zarkon purred as the orb floated back to him, offering a tentacle to him.

"You honored him, my lord." One creature intoned.

"He deserved a fair less beautiful joining." The other added.

"Perhaps." Zarkon replied as he wrapped the tentacle around his wrist. A glowing line ran from the tentacle to his palm, spreading up his arm into his eyes.

"Ah... yes. He did know more than he said."

The rabbit creatures cocked their heads. "Tell us, my lord. Share with us your infinite wisdom."

"A rat from the GPC is accompanying our precious one. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone."

Zarkon stood, stroking the orb which began humming sympathetically.

"You two have done well. I want you to continue to do well. Track down our precious one using the information in my Inkhorn."

"My lord! You honor us!" The creatures exclaimed in unison as they bounded forward, mouths open. Without hesitation, two tentacles were placed in each of the open orifices,

and the glowing began again. 

"Bring me the precious one. Do what you want with the rat. He has caused our hive endless misery."

The creatures nodded silently, eyes closed in bliss as the information was literally fed to them.

"But whatever you do with the rat, make sure it's painful."

 

 


	3. DOSSIER 1

**-MIASMA DOSSIER 1-**  
 _SUB HEADER: [PHENOTYPE]_   
Codename: **VENAL**

Stemming from the Miasma's innate hivemind capabilities, the Venal unit has terrorized and destroyed countless settlements and towns from within using its formidable telepathic abilities. The Venal has no sensory organs apart from a pair of white, marble-like eyes that serve no actual purpose other than to hypnotize prey that gaze into them. Instead, the Venal relies on it's psychic powers to establish a sensitive zone around it that alerts it of anything that enters it's territory. Once a creature is within range, the Venal locks it down with a hypnotic memetic suggestion that prompts the unfortunate victim to make contact with the Venal, ultimately leading to assimilation. The Venal is immobile and lacks legs, but can protrude many long tentacles from it's center mass to ward off attackers or even snag a fleeing prey item.

The Venal is particularly reviled among Miasma units due to it's ability to severely lower morale among GPC forces. It seeds itself deep in a settlement, then destroys it from the inside out. Venal can grow quite large, but due to their fondness for dark, enclosed spaces they normally never get bigger than an Earth elephant.

 _SUB HEADER: [PHENOTYPE]_  
Codename: **LAGOMORPH**

  
These rabbit-like creatures are vicious ambush hunters, able to systematically dismantle a medium-sized force within minutes. One of the few units capable of speech, Lagomorphs possess complex mandibles that can rip through flesh and stone alike, making them effective against armored targets. Known for their quick reflexes and uncanny ability to rush targets, Lagomorphs are one of the more common units in a Miasma hive.  
Among their other talents, Lagomorphs also have a very powerful tail that can crush a regular human very easily if they are so inclined.

 _SUB HEADER: [PHENOTYPE]_  
Codename:  **INKHORN**

  
Comprised of a malleable biopolymer film, the Inkhorn is rarely seen outside of a hive itself. Serving as Miasma repositories, they can store large amounts of the toxin within their bubble-like main body and jettison it across long distances for projectile assimilation. The bottom of the bubble features a teethed sphincter-like orifice, which the Inkhorn can use to absorb prey into itself, dissolving them in it's Miasma within seconds. The many tentacles ringing the main body of the creature function as a knowledge sharing mechanism, allowing any unit to 'plug itself in' and partake in any information from any individual the Inkhorn has absorbed.


	4. Remedium

"Get up."

A hard nudge in his side woke Lance up from his sleep.

"Wha... whasgonon?"

"I said get up."

A harder nudge made him turn over and look up at Keith, just like when they first met.

"Isearly..."

"I know that. We need to start early if we want to beat this poison."

"Ugh...." Lance rubbed his eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them. The light filtering through the trees was very bright, wreathing Keith's black hair in a white aura. "Fine..." He sat up, adjusting his eyes to the morning. "You know it's not going anywhere, right? You don't have to-" Lance stopped talking suddenly when he saw Keith standing there, the morning light still cascading over him in rays. _Was he always this... hot?_

"What are you looking at?" Keith asked coldly.

"Oh, uh, nothing. Just still tired." Lance said, standing up quickly.

"Well, stop it." Keith replied. Lance rolled his eyes as he checked the screens on him com.

"You could be less rude, you know. Oh!" He exclaimed, twiddling some buttons. "I was hoping they'd do that!"

"Do what?" Keith asked, absentmindedly checking some tree branches for something Lance couldn't see.

"The GPC detected my location using the wristcom. They sent a care package to us somewhere in this area."

"That's.... good, right?"

Lance nodded enthusiastically. "Very good! We'll have everything we need to fight the Miasma!"

"Then let's find it immediately."  
\--------

"I was thinking there'd be...more."

Keith nudged the steel box with his boot in disdain. Lance sat on the ground, sorting through the items in the box.

"Yeah, me too... looks like a rush job... I'll be sending an angry letter to the resources officer as soon as I get back."

They had used the mapping function on the wristcom to find the package, but the hour of walking didn't seem worth it to Keith.

"But we do have lots of good stuff! Like this pulse rifle, these small arms, a vibroblade, some Remedium..."

"There's no food."

"What?" Lance asked, shocked by Keith's straightforward manner of speaking.

"There's no food, Lance. Unless maybe I missing some sort of dried space food that also happens to be invisible?"

Lance gave the box a quick double-check.

"No, you're right. No rations. Definitely sending that letter."

As if on cue, Lance's stomach emitted a very loud, high-pitched keening sound. He blushed, embarrassed. Keith twirled his spear slowly.

"Luckily, this has an easy fix." He said, grinning a little too wide for Lance's pleasure.

"What, you gonna eat me?"

"Don't tempt me."

\-------------  
"So... why are we in this tree again?" Lance whispered, looking at Keith. The other boy had a look of concentration on his face.

"There's a herd of kyanosaur near here. There's a young one." Keith ended his sentence there. Lance still didn't understand.

"How can you possibly know that?"

"You stepped in it's feces earlier."

Lance blushed again. He was 0/2 in the battle of wits with Keith.

"Yeah, but why are we in this tree?"

Keith rolled his eyes. "I'm going to kill it and feed it to you. Like a baby." He said the last words mockingly and flashed his grin again.

"Kill it? That's... a little extreme."

"Not really. Everything lives and-" Then without finishing his thought, Keith dropped from the tree and Lance's view instantly. There was a thunk, then a small cow-like wail, followed by a sickening snapping sound. The wailing stopped immediately.

"You can come down now." Keith's voice echoed up the tree. Lance gingerly edged his way down the tree, staring at the grey, leathery corpse of the kyanosaur Keith had killed.

"That was... very quick."

"Has to be. So they don't suffer."

Lance was disturbed. The black eyes of the creatures seemed to be staring directly at him, even in death. Keith placed his spear on the ground, fresh blood dripping from the staff. He knelt next to the creature and placed his forehead on it's ribcage and closed his eyes, breathing slowly.  
Lance looked around him, thinking maybe he'd missed something important.

"...what are you-"

"Shh."

Keith did not open his eyes for another few moments, then he exhaled. His eyes opened, then he stood up and gripped the long tail of the animal around his wrist. His spear occupied it's usual hand once again.

"I know you're gonna ask." Keith said as he began walking back to their clearing, dragging the corpse behind him. Lance's growing question was silenced.

"If you want to eat something from Ren, you have to appreciate it for what it is. Feel it's pain, know it's life. Food that isn't honored is not good food."

"So... it's like a ritual?" Lance asked as he followed Keith.

"In a way. It died so that we may live, so we must give thanks to it."

\-------

"Eat."

Keith said, placing a cooked steak in front of Lance.

"...it smells."

"I don't care. Eat."

Lance lifted up the steak, examining the grey color and thick, leathery texture. Keith was already halfway through his.

"Trust me, it's good. You have to work for the flavor, though." Keith said, laboring through the tough meat in his mouth as he chewed. "It's all in the middle."

"If you... say so." Lance said, grabbing a corner with his teeth and pulling, ripping off a chunk of his dinner. He began chewing. Immediately, his jaw started to hurt. "It's so tough!"

"Yeah, but you'll get there."

Lance huffed as he continued chewing. His teeth worked against the durable meat, but he was making some headway.

"So..." Lance said, looking across the fire at Keith, who was starting on his second steak. "I was thinking that we destroy that node you showed me."

Keith nodded. "I agree."

Lance stared and kept chewing.

"I, uh... so, how long have you lived here?"

Keith eyed Lance. "My whole life?" He phrased it like a question, reminding Lance of his own's stupidity.

"I mean, how old are you?"

"21."

"Favorite color?"

"Red."

"Places to go?"

"What are you doing?" Keith asked, cutting off Lance's string of questions. "Why all the questions?"

Lance shrugged, chewing slowly on the steak. "Just trying to make small talk."

"Oh."

There was silence between them before Lance spoke again.

"You don't talk much."

"I don't know you much."

"That's fair."

Another moment of silence. This time, Keith spoke.

"But that doesn't mean I don't want to know you much."

Lance paused, almost choking on his steak.

"What? Why are you choking?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Lance said, regaining his composure. He resumed chewing, but the flavor in his mouth changed from bland to incredibly savory and juicy.

"Oh!" He exclaimed, chewing with renewed vigor. "That's what you meant!" He chewed harder and faster, enjoying the new taste.

Keith laughed quietly. "Everyone always says that the first time they eat kyanosaur." Although Lance was busy chewing, he made a point of watching Keith while he laughed.  
\--------

"We're almost there." Keith said, leading Lance to the cave once again.

"Good. There's twigs in my pants." Lance said, shaking his legs to free the bramble within.

Keith laughed again. Lance smiled and counted it as a small victory. But his heart was heavy when he thought of the node he was about to destroy.

"In here." Keith held a branch open for Lance, who stepped through and saw the cave entrance.

"Okay, Keith. Be ready." Lance primed his rifle. "If the Venal is near, the node may have reactivated. It'll be incredibly dangerous then."

Keith held his spear at the ready. "Understood."

They began their trek into the cave. The warm moist air was suffocating as they followed the path. 

"How do we destroy it?" Keith asked, stepping over some errant rocks.

"If it's inactive, we can just freeze it and shoot it. If not... it'll be a lot harder."

Then they saw it. The crystal was still floating in it's usual spot, twirling lazily above the stone pedestal. It pulsed a slow glow, but was otherwise dormant.

"Good, we have time. Let me prep the cryogun." Lance pulled a small package from his pocket and began unfolding a large cannon-like contraption.

"That can all fit inside that tiny thing?" Keith asked, amazed.

"The wonders of modern technology." Lance replied, the small cannon now assembled.

"It's on a timer, so I'm gonna set it for 10 seconds, then shoot after it shoots. That'll be the end of this node."

Keith nodded. 

"Let me just calibrate the spread real fast..."

_"Keith...."_

Keith's head turned, looking for the voice that just called his name.

_"Keith.... we've been waiting for you..."_

"Lance... it's talking to me."

"It's... what?" Lance asked, stopping his calibration. "The... node?"

Keith nodded, sweat forming on his brow.

_"Please, Keith.... we need you... you can help us... lead us to where we want to go...."_

"Lance, hurry." Keith whispered.

"Nodes can't talk..." Lance said, almost to himself as he fixed his cryogun. "What is going on?" A beep signalled the gun was primed and counting down, and Lance took aim at the crystal with his rifle.

 _"Don't let him hurt us... anymore..."_ The crystal began spinning faster, the glow intensifying.

"Lance!" Keith said, panicking.

"It's waking up! Hold on, almost there!" 

A low hum began to echo and grow as the crystal spun faster and faster.

 _"We will... have you... always... have you..."_ Then the glow reached a new level of brightness, and the crystal halted spinning. It aimed itself at Keith, who was entranced by the voice and glow.

"Keith, move!"

A blast from the cryogun zoomed past Keith's head as the world seemed to slow down. A purple spray shot towards Keith, a dose of pure Miasma from the node. The crystal was frozen by the blast, but it had done it's job. 

"No!" 

Keith closed his eyes, expecting to feel the cold embrace of Miasma. But instead he heard a splat and loud thump. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Lance lay on the cave floor in front of him. His chest and face were covered in purple liquid.

"Keith, hurry." Lance said, much calmer than he should have been. "Green vial in my pocket. Stab me in the chest with it."

"What... I-... you..." Keith whispered, not comprehending what was going on.

"Hurry!!" Lance yelled, his back contorting up suddenly. "Only have... have... minute." His voice was distorting, become much deeper and inhuman as purple veins began to spread down his face. The twitching intensified. Keith dropped down and began fumbling with Lance's many pockets, searching for the green vial.

"Right... most...." 

"I can't find it!" Keith screamed, looking frantically for any trace of green.

"Then... run..." Lance intoned. Small tentacles began reaching from his chest, as if looking for Keith. Then, he saw it. A flash of green underneath the black of Lance's uniform.

He grabbed it, pulling it free of the pocket. He hastened a quick look, seeing a large button on top and an vicious needle on the bottom.

"Chest... now..."

"Ahhhh!" Keith yelled as he plunged the needle into Lance's chest and pushed, delivering all of the green liquid into his body.

"Ughhhh..." The twitching continued for a moment, then suddenly ceased. The purple ooze retreated, the veins receding as well. It was all evaporating, twisting into unnatural shapes as it disappeared. Soon, all of the Miasma was gone and Lance lay still, breathing heavily. After a moment, he gingerly touched his chest, blindly searching for the needle before pulling it out of his body. He heard a soft sobbing. Slowly, he rolled over to look as his savior. Keith just held his head in his hands. 

"Keith? Keith... I'm fine." He croaked.

Keith slowly removed his hands, looking at the prone Lance. 

"...really? It... it worked?"

"Yes, it worked." Lance said, smiling. He started to help himself up, but Keith immediately got up first and offered his hand. Lance took it without hesitation. 

"Let's... let's kill this thing." Lance said, still breathing hard. He picked up his rifle from the ground, and trained it on the frozen crystal. After a moment's breath, he pulled the

trigger. A billion shattered pieces flew all over the cave as an unearthly howl filled their ears. Then, it was over.

"It's gone, right?" Keith whispered.

"Yeah. This one is. Three more to go." Lance laughed softly, then collapsed on the hard cave floor.  
\----------------

"Haggar, give me some good news."

"Of course, my lord."

Zarkon stood on the rim of a purple, fleshy pit. Haggar stood in the center, anchored to it via a series of tendons and tentacles. As she swept her arm around her, the flesh in the pit moved, undulating and pulsing.

"I think you'll find this new creation to your liking."

She beckoned a large pod to herself as it emerged from the flesh around her. It split open and revealed an insectoid creature with multi-patterned wings and a large curled proboscis. It was tied to the remains of the pod by fleshy ropes.

"I call it a Mosaic. The first of it's kind. A new breed for the hive."

"It's beautiful, Haggar. A wonderful child for our hive."

"You bless me, lord."

Zarkon sat on the edge of the pit. Various tentacles that ringed the walls and ceiling reached out for him, as if begging for his touch.

"I must ask, what are it's functions?" He said, twirling an errant tentacle around his fingers.

"It can produce biomass for our hive from the local plant matter, able to forage and assimilate their biomass quickly and efficiently."

"What a beautiful creation, Haggar. I approve of it's production."

Haggar nodded and bowed as much as her position in the pit allowed.

"Thank you, my lord."

"But I come to you with a more pressing problem."

She looked up with concern. "Yes, my lord?"

"The precious one. He is eluding our grasp again and again."

"Ah yes. My projects are lacking without his inclusion."

"Exactly. Our priority right now is to find him and bring him to us. To his home."

Haggar nodded again. "I agree, my lord. Once he is joined with us, we can reach our true potential."

"Even so, how are the contingency plans going?"

Haggar shook her head sadly as she beckoned more pods from the fleshy depths.

"Alas, we can not replicate his genetic code with any of our units... he is simply... unique."

On cue the pods opened, revealing horrific insectoid and avian masses of purple flesh that struggled and squealed in their prisons. Zarkon shook his head in turn.

"Unfortunate. Reabsorb these poor children and make them into something better."

"Immediately, my lord." The pods pulsed and devoured their charges. They had become one with the hive once again.

"It appears it must be him, then. Nothing else will do."

Haggar nodded for a third time. "Yes, it appears so, my lord. His essence is the key to our immortality."

"I sent our two top performing Lagomorph children to find him and bring him to us. But..."

Zarkon trailed off, smirking playfully. Haggar smiled at him. She understood what he wanted.

"I will begin immediately. A new child, built to capture the precious one and bring him to us. A new pinnacle of form and function."

She waved her arms, jets of acid and miasma spraying into the air and colliding, creating a burst of purple haze. She dipped her hands into the resulting mixture, spinning the start of a rudimentary muscle from the liquid.

"Yes, Haggar. But make it... special."

She stopped spinning, the muscle dissolving into purple slime. 

"My lord?" She asked inquisitively.

"Make it... _human_."

 


End file.
